Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.
Umthwalo wenkangala yolwandle. Njengokudlula kwezivunguzane eningizimu, kuzavela enkangala, elizweni elesabekayo.
2 A grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam. Besiege, O Media, all the sighing of it I have made to cease.
Ngaziswe umbono olukhuni; umkhohlisi wenza ngenkohliso, lomchithi uyachitha. Yenyuka Elamu, uvimbezele Mede; ngiqede konke ukububula kwayo.
3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish. Pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail. I am pained so that I cannot hear. I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
Ngenxa yalokhu ukhalo lwami lugcwele ubuhlungu, imihelo ingibambile njengemihelo yobelethayo; ngagotshiswa ngenxa yokuzwa, ngadideka ngenxa yokubona.
4 My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling to me.
Inhliziyo yami yaduha, uvalo lwangesabisa; ukuhwalala engikuloyisayo wakwenza kwaba yikuthuthumela kimi.
5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink. Rise up, ye rulers, anoint the shield.
Lungisa itafula, linda emphotshongweni wokulinda, dlana, unathe; sukumani, ziphathamandla, ligcobe isihlangu.
6 For thus has the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.
Ngoba yatsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Hamba umise umlindi; akhulume akubonayo.
7 and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
Wasebona inqola, abagadi bamabhiza ababili, inqola kababhemi, inqola yekamela; walalela ngesineke, ngesineke esikhulu.
8 And he cried out as a lion, O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and am set in my ward whole nights,
Wasememeza esithi: Isilwane, Nkosi, ngimi njalonjalo emphotshongweni wokulinda emini, njalo ngimi emlindweni ubusuku bonke.
9 and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon. And all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.
Khangela-ke, nansi inqola yomuntu isiza, labagadi bamabhiza ababili. Wasephendula wathi: Iwile, iwile iBhabhiloni; lazo zonke izithombe ezibaziweyo zabonkulunkulu bayo uzidilizele emhlabathini.
10 O my threshing, and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.
Lina okubhuliweyo kwami, lamabele ebala lami lokubhulela, engikuzwileyo eNkosini yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngilitshelile khona.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
Umthwalo weDuma. Uyangimemeza eseSeyiri esithi: Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku? Mlindi, uthini ngobusuku?
12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye; turn ye back, come.
Umlindi wathi: Kuyeza ukusa, lobusuku futhi. Uba libuza, buzani, libuye, lize.
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia ye shall lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.
Umthwalo phezu kweArabhiya. Ehlathini leArabhiya lizalala ubusuku, lina zindwendwe zeDedani.
14 To him who was thirsty they brought water. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
Mletheleni omileyo amanzi. Abahlali belizwe leTema bahlangabeza obalekayo ngokudla.
15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
Ngoba babalekela izinkemba, inkemba ehwatshiweyo, ledandili eligotshiweyo, lobunzima bempi.
16 For thus the Lord has said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Kusesephakathi komnyaka, njengeminyaka yoqhatshiweyo, lonke udumo lweKedari luzaphela.
17 And the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be few. For Jehovah, the God of Israel, has spoken it.
Lensali yenani labatshoki, amaqhawe amaKedari, bazakuba balutshwana. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli isikhulumile.
